Drive chain



C. F. MEIER DRIVE CHAIN Filed Dec. 23, 1921 INVENTOR. m M

A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 15, 1926.

" UNITED STATES PATENT err-E.

CHARLES rnnnnmox MEIER, or WHrrE HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA, nssIGNon T0 WIL-Mor ENGINEERING eoM'rANY, or HAZLETON, rnNNsYLvhNm, A GGRPORATIONOFPENNSYLVANIA.

DRIVE CHAIN.

. Application filed December 23, 1921. Serial No. 524,348.

My invention relates to drive chains and it has for its object toprovide a chain having alternate solid links oil impnoved and novelconstruction.

The object is ,to provide. said alternate solid Ii ks wi=th .means forpreventing lengthwise collapsing or shortening of the chain when in use.

To these and other ends the invention llo coanprehends the constructionand arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and particularly setforth in the claims.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood and itspractical advan- I W tages diully appreciated reference may he had "tothe accompanying drawing in which "certain forms of embodiment thereofare depict- -:e'd, but it will be understood that changes in the detailsof construction may .be made 20 within the scope'oi' the claims.

.In the drawing .1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of chainembodying any invention;

1 Fig. :2 is a View partly in top plan and partly in horizontal sectionofia portion of chain embodying :my invention;

Rig. 3 .is a view in side elevation of adjacentlinkswith one-oi thesaidslinks arranged :at rightangles to the other 'ofssaid links;

4 is :a view in side elevation of :a short portion of chain showing aslightly modified construction embodying the invention;

Ylilig. 5 is a view in side elevationxof the l'fiistructure shown inFig. '4 with 0118 lot the construotion embodying the invention; and

7 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 6 with one.Qif the links .arl anged substantially eat right angles :to @the other.

.Refenring to the drawings: '1 designates a solid link the intermediateor central portion of "which is enlarged and provided-with a vertical:slot extending therethrougi'h, :as indicated at :2, the opposite endsof which .are of arcshapeiasshown. The'oppositeend portions 3 of thelink are flattened and ,are

of substantially rectangular shape .in cross section. Shoulders 4areprovided or formed thetweenlthe opposite end relatively thin por-*lil :tions .3 and the intermediate thickened por- .These drivingsnrtaces are actually of con- ;tion of the link 1. The opposite ends ofthe linkil terminate in arc shaped suriaces, as indicated at 5, againstwhich surfaces the teeth ofa sprocket wheel are adapted to con-.tact'inthe use of the chain. The said teeth enter the slots 2 andcontact with the are shaped surfaces at the opposite ends of the saidslots through the intermediate enlarged portion of the links 1. Theverticalsurfaces at the opposite ends of the said slots are of Q5aro-shapeior the purpose of causing the said ends to conform to theteeth of the sprocket wheels over which the chains embodying the linksmay travel. Inother words, it is the purpose of said vertical arc-shapedsurtaces 0 to improve the cooperation between the said linksandthesupportingand driving sprock- .ets. The chain is adapted to hedriven by sprocket teeth contact with these surfaces.

vex shape vertically and concave shape horivZontally, as shown, thusreducing friction and preventing the chain from riding up on thesprocket teeth.

The opposite flattened end portions Set the links 1 are provided withlaterally extending pivot projections '10 which extend through slots 11in the opposite ends of the side members of links .12. The opposite endsof the side members of the links 12 .8 occupy -;p'ositio ns adjacent to-or in contact with the shoulders 4 of the links {1. Such relationshipbetween these ends and .the said shoulders prevents collapsing orrshor'tening lot the chain in use. It is apparent that the .side ,nenibers of the links '12 can- :not move longitudinally relatively to thelinks -1 loeoause such movement would the prevented by contact of theends thereof with the shoulders In the construction as shown in Figs. 1to 3 inclusiwe, the pivot portions-l0 are prowided with-oblong retainingheads 15 which iexten'd transversely of the chain and veonltact with theouter sides of the side nemr Jeers-of the links 12 and retain the latterupon the .said gp'i-vot portions .10. in order to disconnect the chainlinks the side members oizE {a link 12 .are turned into positions atright .anglestothe length of the adjacent r1 5 dink .1, asindicated inFig. 3, after which l'the-opposite side members may .be removed =-liromthe pivot gap ortions, as is apparent from 'said Eig. g3. V

.In the construction as shown in Figs. 4

and 5 the opposite side members of the links 12 are provided with slotsor openings 16 which terminate near the opposite ends thereof. Theseslots are continuous and are provided at their centers with enlargedcircular portions, as indicated at 17. The piv- 0t portions 10 whichproject from the opposite sides of the flattened portions 3 of the link1 are provided with circular heads 18. In order to separate any twoadjacent links the opposite side members of the link 12 are turned intoposition as indicated in Fig. 5 and adjusted so as to bring the enlargedcircular portions 17 in registry with the circular heads 18, whereuponthe opposite side members of the said links 12 may be moved outwardlyover the said heads so as to disconnect the said links.

The construction as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 differs from that shown inFig. l in that the inner ends of the slots 11 in the side members 12terminate in circular enlarged portions 20 while the pivot portions 10terminate in circular heads 21. When it is desired to disconnect any twoadjacent links the opposite side members of the link 12 are turned oradjusted into position as indicated in Fig. 7 and adjusted so that theenlarged circular portions 20 therein register with the circular heads21. It is apparent that the said side members may be readily removed andthe said links disconnected from each other.

It will be understood that the chain links 1 and 12 alternate with eachother throughout the length of the chain.

It will be seen that I have provided a construction of chain which issimple and strong and which is well adapted for the efficientperformance of the heavy duty work to which such chains are subjected.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A drive chain comprising alternate solid links and links comprisingoppositely disposed side members, the said solid links respectivelycomprising intermediate enlarged portions having vertical longitudinallyextending slots therethrough, the opposite ends of which terminate invertical arc-shaped surfaces and flattened portions at their oppositeends, the said fiattened portions having oppositely projecting pivotportions in engagement with the outer ends of slots in the said sidemembers and means for retaining said side members upon said pivotportions.

2. A drive chain comprising solid links and links consisting ofoppositely disposed side members, the said links being arrangedalternately, the intermediate portion of each of said solid links beingof greater thickness than the opposite end portions thereof and havingvertical longitudinally extending slots therethrough, the opposite endsof which terminate in Vertical areshaped surfaces, and the saidintermediate portion terminating in shoulders at the inner ends of theopposite sides of the said opposite end portions, and the latterportions being provided with pivot projections extending laterallytherefrom for engagement in openings in the said oppositely disposedside members of adjacent links.

3. A drive chain comprising solid links and links consisting ofoppositely disposed side members, the said links being arrangedalternately, the opposite side portions of each solid link being swelledoutwardly so as to form with opposite end portions thereof shoulders andeach solid link being provided with a vertical longitudinally extendingslot therethrough, the opposite ends of which terminate in verticalarc-shaped surfaces, and the said opposite end portions being providedwith laterally extending pivot portions in engagement with slots throughthe end portions of the side members of adjacent links, and means forretaining the side members of said links in engagement with said pivotportions.

4:. A drive chain comprising solid links and links consisting ofoppositely disposed side portions, the said links being arrangedalternately and the said side portions each being provided with openingsextending transversely therethrough, and the opposite sides of each ofthe said solid links being projected outwardly so as to form withopposite end portions thereof shoulders, and the said intermediateportion being provided with a vertical oblong opening extendingtherethrough, the opposite ends of which terminate in verticalarc-shaped surfaces, and the said opposite end portions each beingprovided with laterally extending pivot projections in engagement withslots in the end portions of the side members of adjacent links and thesaid pivot portions each terminating in heads which engage with theouter surfaces of the said side portions to retain them upon said pivotportions.

5. A drive chain comprising solid links and links consisting ofoppositely disposed side members having openings extending transverselytherethrough and each of the said solid links comprising flattenedopposite end portions, and a portion intermedi ate said flattened endportions which is of substantially greater thickness than the saidflattened opposite end portions, the joining of the said intermediateportion to the flattened opposite, end portions providing shoulders, andthe said intermediate portion being provided with a vertical oblongopening extending therethrough, the opposite ends of which terminate invertical areshaped surfaces, and the said flattened opposite endportions each being provided with laterally and horizontally extendingpivot portions in engagement with openings in the ends of the sidemembers of adjacent links, and headsupon the said pivot portions whichengage with the outer sides of said side members to retain the same uponsaid pivot portions.

(5. A drive chain comprising alternate solid links and links comprisingoppositely disposed side members, the vertical surfaces of the oppositeends of said solid links being of arc shape and the said solid linksrespectively comprising intermediate enlarged portions having verticallongitudinally extending slots therethrough the vertical surfaces of theopposite ends of which are of arc shape, and flattened portions at theiropposite ends, the said flattened portions having oppositely projectingpivot portions in engagement with the outer ends- 192 of slots in thesaid side members, and the enlarged portions of the said solid linksoperating to retain said side members upon the said pivot portions,

7. A drive chain comprising alternate solid links and links comprisingoppositely disposed side members, each of the surfaces of said solidlinks with which the teeth of sprocket wheels are adapted to'be engagedbeing a convex-concave surface.

8. A drive chain comprising alternate solid links and links comprisingoppositely disposed side members, the said solid links each having avertical longitudinally extending slot therethrough, the opposite endsof the said slots and of the said solid links terminating in verticalarc-shaped surfaces.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereuntosubscribed my name this 19th day of December, A. D.,

CHARLES FREDERICK MEIER.

